COMMUNITY Chapel
Chatfeild-Roberts Library
To paraphrase Oscar Wilde, ‘to lose one Holy Mystery may be regarded as a misfortune; to lose both Holy Mysteries looks like . . . ‘ well, you know how the quotation ends. But Chapel did indeed lose both Christmas and Easter this year.
‘The doors of wisdom are never shut.’
Mr Beren-Dain Delbrooke-Jones
Benjamin Franklin
International Society
Before this year’s seismic turn of events, the Library continued to thrive in what is an increasingly vibrant research culture at College. The launch of the Foundation Project Qualification (FPQ) with our Third Form, along with the now well-established EPQ, meant that pupils have made greater use of the Library and its physical and digital resources than ever.
Clearly it has been a challenging year for our international pupils, yet I have noted their impressive resilience and resourcefulness in the face of considerable adversity.
The Library team has found the vast range of topics our pupils are engaged in, as well as the inquisitiveness and earnest desire to think critically about the world they live in, nothing short of thrilling.
Our annual international induction was both enjoyable and highly successful in terms of inducting and welcoming our new pupils from abroad, who were hosted cordially by Ashmead and Newick House on this occasion. Our pupil supporters, largely Upper Sixth students, were invaluable.
During Advent, dust settled on the heads of pupils during Sunday worship. Sharp eyes detected cracks around one of the large stone bosses towards the West End. The building was closed immediately so that inspections and repairs could take place. But this could not have come at a worse time; eight Carol Services were all summarily cancelled. Quick-footed logistics enabled College to enjoy its Carol Service at St Luke’s Church, and later that week The Prep held its Carol service at Christ Church. However, much had been lost, not least the charitable fundraising which usually takes place throughout the Christmas season. The effect of being locked out of Chapel meant that there was a keen desire to get back in as soon as elementary repairs were completed in January. During this time the Chaplaincy staff were superbly assisted by the four Keepers of Chapel Jemima Rees, Gemma Radburn-Todd, Jack Szeto and Nicolas Mediato Diaz. Of course, no one anticipated that the Christmas close-down was merely a precursor. And yet Chapel managed to reinvent itself, shifting its daily services online and keeping the scattered College community together. Pupils continued to write and record their talks, as well as reading lessons and leading prayers. A new and wider audience began to enjoy the Chapel experience and, best of all, Mr Alexander Ffinch (and his exotic socks) became cult viewing on YouTube.
Dr Adam Dunning
The Library has always been a proud champion of reading at College but this year has seen this advocacy, through collaboration with partners and peers across Departments and Houses, grow into something more momentous. With protected reading time set aside for Third Form, the growing popularity of the English Department’s Reading Diploma, the success of a Common Room Book Nook, and our most popular World Book Day event ever – a multiweek online quiz that stretched pupils’ and staff’s literary knowledge to the limit – reading is quite clearly something that is cherished at College now more than ever. Seasonal reading lists, a National Poetry Day competition and, vitally, ongoing remote access to an enormous number of online resources and reading materials, show that the Library has continued to serve its community as fervently as ever.
“The more that you read, the more things you will know...".
"The more that you learn, the more places you’ll go.”
WORLD BOOK DAY '20 THUR
- Dr. Seuss
LOOK OUTQUIZ FOR IN THE THE WBD BULLETIN NEXT WEDNESDAY
Naturally, I am grateful to our EAL team, all Housemasters, Housemistresses and Matrons, and of course parents and guardians in navigating our overseas pupils through uncharted waters this year.
Naturally we aimed to recognise key international events during the Autumn and Spring Terms, such as the Mid-Autumn Festival, Loi Krathong, Chinese New Year and International Students’ Day. The International Dinner in Spring Term was, as ever, a real delight. This is a super opportunity to come together and celebrate our diversity and, of course, to showcase some stunning national dress. Neri Rattanachatta and Thomas Chu have both evinced excellent leadership skills in their role as International Prefects this year. To this end, I feel strongly that the committee meetings they organised and chaired, have been instrumental in both tackling any issues encountered by our international pupils, whilst also supporting and nurturing such inherent eclecticism. This year, as much as ever, I have greatly enjoyed witnessing a myriad of contributions made by international pupils. In the classroom, in Chapel
THE LIBRARY'S 20 BOOKS TO READ THIS
Summer
6 MAR 2020
FOR MORE INFORMATION, CONTACT LIBRARY STAFF
BACK TO CONTENTS
We look forward to opening our doors again this coming year and sharing this beautiful space with all Cheltonians.
HANDPICKED & AVAILABLE NOW FROM YOUR LIBRARY
COMMUNITY
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